Stock Market

Investing in the stock market has always been an effective way to build wealth. In today’s low interest-rate, it has become a necessity.

Since the Great Recession in 2008, the Federal Reserve has kept short-term interest rates—called the “federal funds rate”—at or near zero. That means the traditional ways of saving your money and watching it accrue—certificates of deposit, money-market accounts, Treasury bonds—are no longer viable. Investing in the stock market is one of the few viable ways to have your money work for you these days.

Of course, stock market investing comes with more risk than a safe, low-yield savings account. Inevitably, not all of your investments will be winners.

In investing, no one really knows for sure what’s going to happen. Over time, however, stocks tend to rise. History tells us this. Since 1928, the average annual return in the S&P 500, the benchmark U.S. stock index, is 11.5%. So historically, the average stock rises 11.5% per year.

Successful investing is largely dependent on market timing. You can’t just buy any stock and assume it will turn a profit, much less return 11.5%. You have to buy the right stocks at the right time.

For example, if you bought stocks in 2011 and sold them at the end of the year, you probably didn’t fare so well. The S&P 500 was essentially flat that year. However, if you bought stocks at the beginning of 2012 and held on to them through 2014, you probably made a lot of money. The average annual return from 2012 to 2014 was 20.5%.

But, of course, your return would have depended on what stocks you actually bought. Take Apple (AAPL), for example. The largest and most recognizable technology company in the world has been perhaps the single best-performing stock of the past decade. But Apple had a rough stretch from September 2012 to June 2013, falling more than 43% at a time when most stocks were reaching record heights. The rising tide of the market doesn’t necessarily lift all boats—even the biggest boat.

That kind of unpredictability scares some people away from investing in the stock market. The track record over time should be enough to convince you otherwise.

The stock market is a vast and ever-evolving place, and there are many ways to approach stock market investing.

Want to invest in safe companies that offer a steady stream of income? You’re probably a dividend investor.

Are you willing to take on a bit more risk to go after bigger, faster rewards? Growth investing is likely for you.

Options trading is for those who like to invest based on statistical probabilities. And so on.

At Cabot Investing Advice, we have something for every investor. We publish 12 investment advisories that cater to various types of risk tolerances and timetables, depending on your preference. Since 1970, we’ve been helping investors of all experience levels achieve market-beating returns, helping our readers double their money 28 times over.

When done right, investing in the stock market can be a hugely profitable endeavor. For nearly a half-century, we’ve been helping investors maximize those profits—and hope to continue doing so for another 50 years.

Want to invest on your own, but aren’t sure how and where to allocate your money?

Not to worry. Receive 8 helpful tips on how to build a diversified portfolio with high returns by downloading your FREE report, The Best Way to Invest $10,000 in the Stock Market: Finding the Best Stocks to Invest in Now.

Cabot Wealth Advisories

We designed Cabot Prime for dedicated investors like you—investors who want to own the best stocks, collect the biggest profits, and lock in a rising source of income for life. With Prime membership, you get full access to nine of our top advisories and many members-only benefits, including free admission to our annual Investors Summit.

Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Investor uses the methods developed by the father of value investing, Benjamin Graham, and popularized by Warren Buffet. A system that works well in all markets, it buys stocks when they're dirt cheap, and sells when they've reached full valuation, a process that takes two years for the average selection. What's important here is buying only when a stock's price is below its Maximum Buy Price, holding through thick and thin, regardless of the news or the action of the stock, and then selling when the stock reaches its Minimum Buy Price. These are great stocks to own if you're a conservative stock investor. Chief Analyst J. Royden Ward explains clearly how to build a portfolio of stocks that meet his strict requirements-plus every issue includes updated rankings on his "Top 275 Value Stocks," so you can check on other stocks you may own.

Cabot Dividend Investor focuses on preparing for retirement, recommending a solid range of income-generating stocks, preferred stocks, REITs, MLPs, closed end funds and utilities, with particular emphasis on risk, dividend safety and dividend growth. If you’re retired or thinking about retirement, this advisory is designed for you. Cabot Dividend Investor’s proprietary Individual Retirement Income System (IRIS) will help you allocate your assets for capital appreciation, current income, growth and future income investments according to your retirement goals.

Cabot Emerging Markets Investor focuses on the emerging markets economies, with special attention paid to the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) investment landscape. You'll discover the value of international diversification and the profit potential of investing in countries whose economies are growing far faster than that of the U.S. All these stocks are traded on U.S. exchanges, usually as American Depositary Receipts. Under the guidance of Chief Analyst Paul Goodwin, Cabot Emerging Markets Investor was recognized as the top investment newsletter in 2006 and 2007 by Hulbert Financial Digest, and was rated by Hulbert as one of the top investment newsletters in every five-year period 2004 to 2011.

This flagship investment advisory has been published since 1970 and it is recommended for all investors seeking to grow their wealth. You’ll receive invaluable investing lessons, so that you won’t just become a more successful investor—you’ll become a wiser investor!

Cabot Options Trader’s Chief Analyst and options expert Jacob Mintz uses calls, puts and covered calls to guide investors to quick profits while always controlling risk. Beginners and experts alike can benefit from following Jacob’s advice. Whenever Jacob determines the time is right, he sends specific option buy and sell alerts via email and text-message for immediate action. He also sends out a weekly update with his views on the options market, open option positions and his outlook for the coming week.

Cabot Options Trader Pro’s Chief Analyst and options expert Jacob Mintz uses the full spectrum of option strategies to recommend the option that best suits the trade opportunity—calls, puts, spreads, straddles, iron condors and more—while always controlling risk. Whenever Jacob determines the time is right, he sends specific option buy and sell alerts via email and text-message for immediate action. He also sends out a weekly update with his views on the options market, open option positions and his outlook for the coming week.

Cabot Small-Cap Confidential is a limited-circulation advisory for investors seeking profit opportunities in high-potential small company stocks. Each month, small-cap expert and Chief Analyst Tyler Laundon features in-depth research on one outstanding small-company stock that is a pioneer in its field and undiscovered by institutional analysts. Updates on all recommended stocks are sent weekly. The circulation of Cabot Small-Cap Confidential is strictly limited because the stocks recommended are often low-priced and thinly traded. In the publication’s first five years, spanning 2007-2012, the average stock recommendation gained 30.5%.

Cabot Stock of the Week offers the very best of all Cabot stocks across the investing spectrum. Each stock is personally selected by Cabot’s President and most Senior Analyst Timothy Lutts, and guided by the collective wisdom of all the Cabot expert analysts. As a subscriber of Cabot Stock of the Week, you’ll build your wealth and reduce your risk with the single best stock each week for current market conditions among growth, momentum, emerging markets, value, dividend and small-cap stocks.

Designed for experienced investors, Cabot Top Ten Trader is your ticket to fast profits in stocks that are under accumulation now. Every Monday you’ll receive a one-page profile of each recommended stock, including fundamental analysis, technical analysis and buy ranges. Plus... each Friday, Chief Analyst Michael Cintolo will give you an update titled "Movers & Shakers," so you’ll always know his latest thoughts on these fast-moving stocks. Cabot Top Ten Trader is your best source of advice on investing in the market’s hottest stocks.

Yes, you can have Growth AND Value! Combining both growth and value in her growth-at-a-reasonable price strategy, Chief Analyst Crista Huff uncovers stocks with strong growth catalysts that are selling at attractive valuations—the stocks that are temporarily overlooked by mainstream analysts and institutions. Crista applies her stringent screens to deliver the best stocks in three portfolios: Growth, Growth & Income, and Buy Low Opportunities. A subscription includes monthly issues with weekly updates, special bulletins with market and stock alerts and email access to Crista.

Wall Street’s Best Dividend Stocks presents the best income investments from the top Wall Street analysts, researchers and advisors. Editor Nancy Zambell scours more than 200 advisories and research reports to select the top recommendations. Dividend recommendations include high yield, growth and income, REITs, mutual funds, ETFs and more. One Spotlight Stock is featured each month, along with Nancy’s insight on the market and updates on past recommendations. One top recommendation arrives in your email box each morning, and then gets collected into an easy-to-read digest of 30 to 35 top recommendations each month.

Editor Nancy Zambell scours more than 200 advisories and research reports to select the top recommendations by the top analysts. Selections run the full range of opportunities: growth stocks, value stocks, technology, small-caps, biotech, pharmaceuticals, mutual funds, ETFs and more. One Spotlight Stock is featured each month, along with Nancy’s insight on the market and updates on past recommendations. Thirty-plus recommendations are delivered to you in Daily Alerts directly to your email box, and collected in an easy to read digest each month.

Reviews

“I have been impressed with the Cabot Market Letter over the past three months and the first week of my subscription to the Cabot Top Ten Trader has been favorable as well. I also subscribe to the excellent Cabot China & Emerging Markets Report. In sum, I am thus far pleased with my three Cabot subscriptions, and would like to commend Cabot for their quality and the expertise of their editors. After having tried countless financial subscriptions covering the gamut of stocks, ETFs and options, I firmly believe Cabot offers the best.”

-J. Mellstrom, Bangkok, Thailand

Market Update

From Cabot Dividend Investor

The market continues to lean bullish, with warning signs. While the Dow has been hitting all-time highs, the S&P has gone nowhere for two weeks and the Nasdaq has actually lost ground. Investors seem to be deserting “risk-on” assets, leading to underperformance in the Russell 2000 (IWM) and high-growth sectors including Semiconductors (SMH) and Biotechs (XBI).

On an individual stock level, earnings reactions have been leaning negative. Companies that disappoint are punished severely, while companies that beat are rewarded weakly, if at all.

Meanwhile on the fixed income side, Friday’s hot payrolls report increased inflation expectations and drove bond yields higher over the weekend. But yesterday’s North Korea panic drove investors out of stocks and into conservative assets, driving bond yields lower once again. “Risk-off” classes, including utilities, benefited.